Graphic interface device and method in digital TV

ABSTRACT

A graphic interface device and method in a digital TV. The graphic interface device includes: a transmitting side for coding various forms of user graphic environment which can be selected by an end user, assigning specific packet identification (PID), and multiplexing the assigned PID with video information, audio information and additional information; and a receiving side for parsing and decoding the various forms of graphic environment data of the specific PID transmitted from the transmitting side to be displayed on a screen, thereby being selected by the end user and for parsing and decoding once again the corresponding graphic environment selected by the end user to be displayed on the screen. Thus, the end user can select the graphic environment satisfying his own preference, for example, a dynamic program guide pattern or menu icon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a digital TV, and more particularly, toa graphic interface device and method in a digital TV.

2. Description of the Background Art

As the video media are recently digitized, cable broadcasting orsatellite broadcasting using an analog method becomes digitized, with aconsequence that the conventional analog media will be replaced with thedigital media.

Owing to the digitization of the broadcasting, users who enjoyed a smallnumber of existing channels can possess a large number of channels andprograms of a high quality of image.

In addition, a user graphic program guide is provided for theconvenience of the users, with which they can read the information onthe large number of channels and select desired programs.

FIG. 1 shows an example of conventional user graphic interfaceenvironment. Typically, this is provided by a set-top box manufactureror a program power providing an application software such as graphicenvironment. Since, however, the use, graphic interface environment asshown in FIG. 1 is in 3 single form, it is static and passive whenviewed in the user's position. In other words, the user can selectdesired channels and programs under the service of the single and setform of use graphic environment provided by the above-describedmanufacturer or program provider.

It can be, therefore, understood that the conventional user graphicinterface environment fails to provide the graphic interface satisfyinga user's preference.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object o the invention is to provide a graphic interface device andmethod in a digital TV capable of providing various forms of usergraphic environment

Another object of the invention is to provide a graphic interface deviceand method in a digital TV capable of inserting and transmitting variousforms or program guides on a stream at a transmitting side and parsingthe transmitted program guides and decoding the parsed information todisplay the decoded result at a receiving side, thereby providing usergraphic environment satisfying a user's preference.

To attain these objects described above, according to an aspect of thepresent invention, there is provided a graphic interface device in adigital TV which comprises: a receiving side for receiving various formsof user graphic environment which can be selected by a user, which arecoded, assigned with specific packet identification (hereinafter,referred to as ‘PID’), and multiplexed with video information, audioinformation and additional information at a transmitting side; and agraphic interfacing side for parsing and decoding the various forms ofgraphic environment data of the specific PID received at the receivingside to be displayed on a screen for selection by the user, and forparsing and decoding once again only the corresponding graphicenvironment selected by the user to display it on the screen.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the PID, which is assignedto the user graphic environment at the transmitting side, isdistinguished from a PID each assigned to the video information, theaudio information and the additional information.

To attain these objects described above, according to another aspect ofthe present invention, there is provided a graphic interface method in adigital TV which comprises the steps of: if various forms of usergraphic environment to be selected by a user, which are coded, assignedwith specific PID, and multiplexed with video information, audioinformation and additional information, are transmitted by atransmitting side, receiving the various kinds of user graphicenvironment from the transmitting side; and parsing and decoding thevarious kinds of graphic environment data of the specific PID to bedisplayed on a screen, thereby being selected by the user, and parsingand decoding once again only the corresponding graphic environmentselected by the user to be displayed on the screen.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the displaying stepcomprises the steps of: if a program guide, in an environment set menuwhich can be selected by the user, has been selected by the user,parsing the stream of the assigned PID to the selected program guide;decoding the parsed stream to store various forms of program guidepatterns in a memory; performing a (graphic user interface (hereinafter,referred as ‘GUI’) process for the various forms of program guidepatterns to be thereby displayed in an on screen display (hereinafter,referred to as ‘OSD’) fashion; if any one of the various forms ofprogram guide patterns has been selected by the user, parsing the streamof the assigned PID to the selected program guide pattern; decoding theparsed stream to store the corresponding program guide pattern in thememory; and displaying only the corresponding program guide patternstored in the memory in the OSD fashion.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the displaying stepcomprises the steps of: if a menu icon, in an environment set menu whichcan be selected by the user, has been selected by the user, parsing thestream of the assigned PID to the selected menu icon; decoding theparsed stream to store various forms of menu icons in a memory;performing a GUI process for the various forms of menu icons and textforms of indication menu names which are to be set as the menu icons tobe displayed in a menu form; if respective ones of the various forms ofmenu icons and indication menu names have been selected by the user,parsing the stream of the assigned PID to the selected icon; decodingthe parsed stream to store the corresponding icon in the memory; andreplacing the selected indication menu name with the corresponding iconand displaying the replaced icon.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and areintended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, advantages and details of the graphic interface deviceand method of this invention appear in the following detaileddescription o: preferred embodiments of the invention, the detaileddescription referring to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an exemplary view illustrating a prior art user program guide;

FIG. 2 is an exemplary view illustrating the structure of a transportstream according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating one preferred embodiment of thegraphic interface device of a digital TV according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a program guide selection process inFIG. 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 5A and 5E are exemplary views illustrating an example on thescreen of the program guide selection process in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a menu icon selection process in FIG.3 according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 7A to 7C are exemplary views illustrating an example on the screenof the menu icon selection process in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is an exemplary view illustrating the state where an indicationmenu is replaced with an icon by the menu icon selection process in FIG.6.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will now be described with reference to theillustrated embodiments.

The present invention is aimed to provide various forms of user graphicinterface environment, thereby allowing the range of the selection bythe user to be widened. In one preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, as various forms of program guide patterns are provided, adesired program guide pattern of the user can be displayed, togetherwith the program and channel information that is transmitted asadditional information. Additionally, in another preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, as various forms of identification figures, e.g.icons are provided, the indication menu can be replaced with a desiredicon of the user.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary view illustrating the structure of transportstream according to an embodiment of the present invention. The PIDassigned to the additional information such as existing video/audio andprogram guide data is the same as in conventional practice. But in thepresent invention, the PIDs are assigned to one program guide patternsand menu icons and are distinguished from the existing PIDs. The programguide data differs from the program guide pattern. That is to say, theprogram guide data is the information on the real program and channel,but the program guide pattern is a type of container for displaying theprogram guide data.

By way of example, the program guide pattern is embodied by variousforms of patterns such as grid, matrix, is, banner or the like, forexample.

Conventionally, the transmission format of the digital TV broadcastingis an MPEG 2 transport stream. The transport stream is divided into aheader part and a payload part. The header part contains the informationinforming the start of a signal and the PID indicating the type of thesignal loaded on the payload part. The payload part contains thevideo/audio information, additional information, program guide pattern,and menu icon information, as will be transmitted.

If the PID is parsed, therefore, it is distinguished whether the currentpacket is a video packet, an audio packet or an additional informationpacket. It can be also distinguished whether the current packet is theprogram guide pattern or the menu icon according to the presentinvention.

At this time, the program guide pattern and the menu icon loaded on thepayload part are the data (for example, the code providing graphicenvironment) coded by Java or other programming language, for thecompatibility with existing set-top application.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating one preferred embodiment of thegraphic interface device of a digital TV according to the presentinvention. As shown, the graphic interface device includes: a front end101, which is a receiving side or receiver, for pre-processing an inputsignal being transmitted to output a transport stream; a demultiplexor102 for demultiplexing the pre-processed transport stream from the frontend 101 to separate it into video/audio signals, program guide patterndata and menu icon information; an audio decoder 103 for decoding theaudio signal separated in the demultiplexor 102; a video decoder 104 fordecoding the video signal separated in the demultiplexor 102; a firstmemory 106 for storing an operation program; a central processing unit(CPU) 107 for decoding the data of a specific PID separated in thedemultiplexor 102 in accordance with the operation program of the firstmemory 106; a second memory 108 for storing the program guidepattern/menu icon data decoded in the CPU 107; a graphic processor 109for reading the program guide pattern/menu icon data stored in thesecond memory 108 in accordance with a control signal of the CPU 107 andgraphic-processing the read program guide pattern/menu icon data; and adisplay processor 105 as a graphic interfacing side for controlling thedisplay of the data processed in the video decoder 104 or the graphicprocessor 109.

The graphic interface device further includes a code processor 110 forprocessing the programming language or JAVA code which is not processedin the CPU 107. All the components of the graphic interface device areoperatively coupled. In the case where the programming language isprocessed in the CPU 107, the code processor 110 is not required.

For instance, if the program guide pattern/menu icon data which havebeen coded to the Java code are not decoded in the CPU 107, the codeprocessor 110 inputs the Java code stream related to the program guidepattern/menu icon data from the CPU 107, decodes the input result to bematched to Java syntax, and stores the decoded data in the second memory108.

Under the construction as mentioned above, the front end 101 receivesthe transport stream transmitted in such a form as shown in FIG. 2,modulates the received transport stream, corrects errors in themodulated stream, and outputs the error-corrected stream to thedemultiplexor 102. Upon input of the time-multiplexed transport stream,the demultiplexor 102 performs the demultiplexing for the inputtransport stream. In such a case, the term ‘demultiplexing’ means thatthe transmitted transport stream is checked, so that the transportstream may be separated into a video signal stream, an audio signalstream, a program guide pattern signal stream, and a menu icon signalstream, and the like.

At this time, the separated audio signal stream is outputted to theaudio decoder 103 and the separated video signal stream is outputted tothe video decoder 104. In such a case, the video signal stream and theaudio signal stream have been compressed upon coding in the transmittingside. The audio decoder 103 decodes the audio signal stream to berestored to an original digital audio signal and then converts therestored digital audio signal into an analog signal, thereby being sentto the outside via a speaker. The video decoder 104 decodes the videosignal stream to be restored to an original digital video signal andthen stores the restored digital video signal to the second memory 108.At this time, the display processor 105 reads the video signal decodedin the video decoder 104 and then stored in the second memory 108 andencodes the read signal to an NTSC signal to be thereby displayed on adisplay unit such as TV, PC monitor, etc. At this time, the displayprocessor 105 can encode the decoded digital signal to a PAL or SECAMsignal in accordance with broadcasting area.

Meanwhile, as the program guide pattern signal stream and the menu iconsignal stream, separated from tile demultiplexor 102, have beencompressed, they are outputted to the CPU 107. In this case, the CPU 107decodes the program guide pattern signal stream and the menu icon signalstream parsed from the demultiplexor 102 in accordance with theoperation program or outputs the streams to the code processor 110.

At this time, in the case where it is possible to decode the programguide pattern signal stream and the menu icon signal stream in the CPU107, the streams are decoded to be restored to their original digitalsignals and then stored in the second memory 108. On the contrary, inthe case where this is not possible, the streams are outputted to thecode processor 110. In such a case, the code processor 110 decodes theprogram guide pattern signal stream and the menu icon signal stream tobe restored to their original digital signals and then stores therestored signal in the second memory 108.

At this time, the graphic processor 109 performs a GUI process or thevarious forms of program guide patterns or menu icons stored in thesecond memory 108 En order for the user to select a desired pattern oricon. Thereafter, the display processor 105 displays the GUI processedresult in the OSD fashion.

To this end, if a set-top environment set menu is selected by the user,the set-top environment set menu as illustrated in FIG. 5A is displayed.In this case, a set-top environment set menu select process, a menu typeand a display method are dependant to a designer.

At this time, if either the program guide or the icon in the set-topenvironment set menu is selected by the user, the signal streamcorresponding to the PID assigned to the selected one parsed at thedemultiplexor 102, decoded in the CPU 107 or the code processor 110, andWhen stored in the second memory 108. By way of example, if the programguide in the menu screen as shown in FIG. 5A has been selected, thevarious forms of program guide patterns stored in the second memory 108are displayed, through the graphic Processor 109 and the displayprocessor 105, on the screen as shown in FIG. 5B. Contrarily, if theicon in the menu screen as shown in FIG. 5A has been selected, thevarious forms of menu icons stored in the second memory 109 aredisplayed, through the graphic processor 109 and the display processor105, on the screen as shown in FIG. 7B.

That is, the graphic processor 109 performs a GUI process for thevarious forms of program guide patterns or men icons stored in thesecond memory 108 under the control of the CPU 107 and outputs the GUIprocessed result in the OSD fashion to the display processor 105. Inthis case, the display processor 105 displays the output result to bematched with an output format thereof.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a programguide selection process according to an embodiment of the invention, andFIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an icon selection process accordingto an embodiment of the invention. These processes are implementable inthe device shown in FIG. 3.

First, an explanation ok an operation order upon program guide selectionwill be discussed with reference to FIG. 4 and FIGS. 5A and 5B.

At step 401, if the program guide in the environment set menu as shownin FIG. 5A has been selected by the user, the stream of the PID assignedto the various forms of guide patterns in the selected program guide isparsed in the demultiplexor 102 and then outputted to the CPU 107. If itis possible to decode the inputted stream in the CPU 107, the stream isdecoded, but if it is not possible, the stream is outputted to the codeprocessor 110 and then decoded. In this case, the decoded signal in theCPU 107 or the code processor 110 is stored in the second memory 108 asthe various forms of program guide pattern data, at step 402. At thistime, the graphic processor 109 performs the GUI process for the variousforms of program guide patterns stored in the second memory 108 anddisplays the GUI processed result through the display processor 105, asshown in FIG. 5B. In other words, the graphic processor 109 performs theGUI process for the various forms of program guide patterns stored inthe second memory 108 in accordance with the control signal of the CPU107, and the display processor 105 reduces the GUI processed result to apredetermined size to output the reduced result to the display unit.

Referring to FIG. 5B, the various forms of program guide patterns (forexample, program guide 1 through program guide 6) are displayed, any oneof which can be selected by the user by using an input device. At thistime, each of the program guide patterns is graphic-processed to acorresponding figure or text-processed for the purpose of being checkedby the eyes of the user. Moreover, the program guide patterns may bedisplayed on several screens. The method for displaying the variousforms of program guide patterns is varied depending upon the designer.The displaying methods which can be understood by the user arecontemplated.

In such a case, other types of input devices may be used, if they canselect any one of the contents displayed on the screen. For example, theinput device may be a remote controller or a panel device integrallyattached on the digital TV or the set-top box. Otherwise, it may be akeyboard or mouse with a wired or wireless connection to the digital TVor the set-top box.

At step 404, it any one (for example, program guide 5) of the programguide patterns displayed as shown in FIG. 5B has been selected by themanipulation of the input device, the stream of the PID assigned to theselected program guide pattern is parsed in the demultiplexor 102. Atthis tire, the demultiplexor 102 parses the stream of the PID assignedto the selected program guide pattern under the control of the CPU 107.

At step 405, the parsed stream in the demultiplexor 102 is decoded inthe CPU 107 or the code processor 110 and then stored in the secondmemory 108. Next, the graphic processor 109 performs the graphic processfor the corresponding program guide pattern stored in the second memory108 and the display processor 105 displays the graphic processedcontents on the screen. At this time, the additional information relatedto the channel and program through link is displayed on the displayedprogram guide pattern, at step 406. For instance, if the selectedprogram guide pattern is the grid, the additional information related tohe channel and program is displayed on the screen in the grid form ofprogram guide pattern. On the other hand, if the selected program guidepattern is the list, the additional information related to the channeland program is displayed on the screen in the list form of program guidepattern.

As a consequence, the user can select the program guide patternsatisfying his own preference and obtain program guide information onthe selected program guide pattern.

Next, an explanation of an operation order upon icon selection will bediscussed with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8.

At step 601, if the icon in the environment set menu as shown in FIG. 7Ais selected by the user, the stream of the PID assigned to the selectedicon is parsed in the demultiplexor 102 and then outputted to the CPU107. If it is possible to decode the inputted icon stream in the CPU107, the icon stream is decoded, but if it is not possible, the iconstream is outputted to the code processor 110 and then decoded. In thiscase, the decoded signal in the CPU 107 or the code processor 110 isstored in the second memory 108 as the various forms of icon data, atstep 602. At this time, the graphic processor 109 performs the GUIprocess for the various forms of icon data stored in the second memory108 and displays the GUI processed result through the display processor105, as shown in FIG. 7B, at step 603.

Referring to FIG. 7B, the text-type of indication menu names aredisplayed at the left-hand side screen and the various forms of iconsare displayed at the right-hand side screen. Accordingly, the user canreplace the indication menu names with the icons of his desired forms.To this end, the user selects the text-type of indication menu name andthe icon to be assigned to the indication menu name by means of theinput device.

At this time, the icons and the text-type of indication menu names areadded or deleted by the designer and the display method thereof is alsovaried. Furthermore, the method for displaying the indication menu namesand the icons can be varied. Other menu names other than the indicationmenu names can be replaced with the icons. In one embodiment of thepresent invention, the indication menu names as shown in FIG. 7B arereplaced with the icons.

For example, at step 604 if the corresponding indication menu name andthe icon to be assigned thereto on the screen as shown in FIG. 7B havebeen selected by the manipulation of the input device, the stream of thePID assigned to the selected icon is parsed in the demultiplexor 102under the control of the CPU 107 and then outputted to the CPU 107. Inthe case where it is possible to decode the selected icon signal streamin the CPU 107, the stream is decoded and then stored in the secondmemory 108, at step 605. To the contrary, in the case where this is notpossible, the stream is outputted to the code processor 110. In thiscase, the code processor 110 decodes the icon signal stream and thenstores the decoded signal in the second memory 108, at step 606.

At this time, in order for fine user to check the selected, indicationmenu name and icon, the message screen as shown in FIG. 7C is displayed.If a continue button is selected, it returns to the step 604 to selectanother indication menu name and the corresponding icon, at step 607.

If under the above process the icon corresponding to each indicationmenu name is set, the indication menu names are replaced with the icons,as shown in FIG. 8. At this time, as the user selects (or clicks) onlythe corresponding icon by the manipulation of the input device, thecorresponding operation to the selected indication menu name is carriedout.

By way of summary, according to an embodiment of the invention, agraphic interface device and method of a digital TV comprises atransmitting side for inserting and transmitting various forms ofprogram guide patterns or icons on a transport stream and a receivingside for parsing the transmitted stream, such that a user can select ordesign a particular user-preferred, user graphic environment satisfyinghis preference. In this case, it becomes easier to update the graphicenvironment such as, for example, the program guide patterns or menuicons. More specifically, even the program provider supplying anapplication software like the graphic environment can provide newgraphic environment, if necessary.

Therefore, the user can select the graphic environment satisfying hisown preference, for example, a dynamic program guide pattern or menuicon. Thereby, he can be very familiar to and have strong interest inthe graphic interface environment.

On the other hand, if the memory capacity within the set-top box islarge, the various forms of program guide patterns and icons can bestored in the memory upon manufacturing the set-top box. In this case,since the various forms of program guide patterns and icons are set uponmanufacturing the set-top box, the updating of these forms may not bepossible in some cases.

In addition, the graphic interface device of the digital TV according tothe present invention can be applicable to a digital satellite or cableset-top box and may be applicable to any broadcasting using the digitalmedia.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made in a graphic interface deviceand method in a digital TV of the present invention without departingfrom the spirit or scone of the invention. Thus, it is intended that thepresent invention cover the modifications and variations of thisinvention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims andtheir equivalents.

1. A graphic interface device usable in a digital TV, comprising: a receiving side for receiving user graphic environment data corresponding to various forms of user graphic environments displayable on a screen, the user graphic environment data including icon data corresponding to various icons; and a graphic interfacing side for parsing and decoding processing the user graphic environment data received at the receiving side, and allowing an end user to design a user-preferred user graphic environment including at least one user-defined icon using the user graphic environment data, wherein the graphic interfacing side displays an environment set menu, such that any one of the various forms of user graphic environments can be selected by the end user; and wherein said user graphic environment data are assigned with specific packet identifications (PIDs), and said displaying of the menu comprises: if a menu icon, in the environment set menu which can be selected by the end user, has been selected by the end user, parsing a data stream associated with the PIDs corresponding to various forms of menu icons; decoding the parsed stream to store the various forms of menu icons in a memory; performing a graphical user interface (GUI) process for the various forms of menu icons and text type of indication menu names which are to be set as the menu icons to be displayed in a menu fashion; if respective ones of the various forms of menu icons and the indication menu names have been selected by the end user, parsing a stream associated with the PID assigned to the selected icon; decoding the parsed stream to store the corresponding icon in the memory; and replacing the selected indication menu name with the corresponding icon and displaying the replaced icon.
 2. The graphic interface device according to claim 1, wherein said user graphic environment data include program guide pattern data corresponding to various forms of program guide patterns.
 3. The graphic interface device according to claim 1, wherein said user graphic environment data include data corresponding to various forms of identification figures.
 4. The graphic interface device according to claim 1, wherein said user graphic environment data are coded, assigned with specific packet identifications (PIDs), and multiplexed with video information, audio information and additional information at a transmitting side.
 5. The graphic interface device according to claim 4, wherein said PIDs, which are assigned to said user graphic environment data at the transmitting side, are distinguished from PIDs each assigned to the video information, the audio information and the additional information.
 6. The graphic interface device according to claim 5, wherein different PIDs are assigned to different user graphic environments.
 7. The graphic interface device according to claim 4, wherein the graphic interfacing side includes: a demultiplexor for receiving a transport stream through the receiving side and demultiplexing the transport stream to separate the transport stream into the video information, the audio information, the additional information and the user graphic environment data; a controller for controlling the demultiplexing of said demultiplexor and inputting and decoding the user graphic environment data separated in said demultiplexor; a memory for storing the user graphic environment data decoded in said controller; a graphic processor for performing a graphic process for the user graphic environment data stored in said memory under a control of said controller; and a display processor for processing the user graphic environment data processed in said graphic processor to be matched in an output format of a display unit to display the processed information on the display unit.
 8. The graphic interface device according to claim 7, further comprising a code processor for inputting and decoding the user graphic environment data which has not been decoded in said controller and storing the decoded information in said memory.
 9. The graphic interface device according to claim 7, wherein said controller controls said demultiplexor in order to parse only a data stream of a specific user graphic environment, if the specific user graphic environment from the various forms of user graphic environments displayed on a display unit has been selected by the user.
 10. The graphic interface device according to claim 7, wherein said graphic processor performs a graphic user interface (GUI) process for the user graphic environment data stored in said memory and said display processor displays the GUI-processed information on the display unit in an on-screen display (OSD) fashion.
 11. A graphic interface method usable in a digital TV, comprising the steps of: receiving user graphic environment data corresponding to various forms of user graphic environments displayable on a screen from a transmitting side, the user graphic environment data including icon data corresponding to various icons; parsing and decodingprocessing the user graphic environment data received at a receiving side, and allowing an end user to design a user-preferred user graphic environment including at least one user-defined icon using the user graphic environment data; displaying an environment set menu, such that any one of the various forms of user graphic environments can be selected by the end user, wherein said user graphic environment data are assigned with specific packet identifications (PIDs), and said displaying step comprises the steps of: if a menu icon, in the environment set menu which can be selected by the end user, has been selected by the end user, parsing a data stream associated with the PIDs corresponding to various forms of menu icons; decoding the parsed stream to store the various forms of menu icons in a memory; performing a graphical user interface (GUI) process for the various forms of menu icons and text type of indication menu names which are to be set as the menu icons to be displayed in a menu fashion; if respective ones of the various forms of menu icons and the indication menu names have been selected by the end user, parsing a stream associated with the PID assigned to the selected icon; decoding the parsed stream to store the corresponding icon in the memory; and replacing the selected indication menu name with the corresponding icon and displaying the replaced icon.
 12. The graphic interface method according to claim 11, wherein said user graphic environment data include program guide pattern data corresponding to various forms of program guide patterns.
 13. The graphic interface method according to claim 11, wherein said user graphic environment data are assigned with specific packet identifications (PIDs), and said displaying step comprises the steps of: if a program guide, in the environment set menu which can be selected by the end user, has been selected by the end user, parsing a data stream associated with the PIDs corresponding to various forms of program guide patterns; decoding the parsed stream to store the various forms of program guide patterns in a memory; performing a graphical user interface (GUI) process for the various forms of program guide patterns to be displayed in an on-screen-display (OSD) fashion; if any one of the various forms of program guide patterns has been selected by the end user, parsing a stream associated with the PID assigned to the selected program guide pattern; decoding the parsed stream to store the corresponding program guide pattern in the memory; and displaying the corresponding program guide pattern stored in the memory in the OSD fashion.
 14. The graphic interface method according to claim 13, wherein said displaying step for displaying the corresponding program guide pattern displays additional information related to channel and program through link on the displayed program guide pattern.
 15. The graphic interface method according to claim 11, wherein said step of selecting the respective ones of the various forms of menu icons and indication menu names and said steps of replacing the selected indication menu name with the selected icon and displaying the replaced icon are all performed in a repetitive manner by the selection of the user.
 16. The graphic interface device according to claim 2, wherein the graphic interfacing side is configured to display a series of menus on the screen for allowing the end user to design the user-preferred user graphic environment.
 17. The graphic interface device according to claim 16, wherein the graphic interfacing side replaces at least a portion of a text-based user graphic environment with icons whose representative functions have been defined by the end user using the series of menus to design the user-preferred user graphic environment.
 18. The graphic interface device according to claim 17, wherein the text-based user graphic environment is in a particular program guide pattern selected by the end user from the various forms of program guide patterns using the series of menus to design the user-preferred user graphic environment.
 19. The graphic interface device according to claim 1, wherein the user-preferred user graphic environment is a user-selected program guide having a portion of its text replaced with icons whose representative functions have been defined by the end user.
 20. The graphic interface method according to claim 11, further comprising: displaying a series of menus on a screen for allowing the end user to design the user-preferred user graphic environment.
 21. The graphic interface method according to claim 20, further comprising: replacing at least a portion of a text-based user graphic environment with icons whose representative functions have been defined by the end user using the series of menus, to design the user-preferred user graphic environment. 